“Syuge-balta tyl”: axe symbol in traditional Yakut culture

Abstract

The relevance of the proposed research lies in the absence of special works devoted to the symbolism of the axe in the traditional Yakut culture. The axe as an object of the purely utilitarian sphere of the “thing world” had several types: chakan axes, chokhoroon axe, balta, tereger suge, basymny syuge. The first ones, in all probability, were used as combat weapons, and chokhoroon axes had a universal (combat and working) meaning, which is confirmed by folklore data. At the same time, the axe was a weapon and a symbol of the deity Syuge Toyon (Axe-Head), who was a member of the triad of gods-creators of the Universe. The thunder god threw his axe from the heavens (etin syugete), protecting people and all useful animals from evil otherworldly forces. This manifests the multidimensional essence of the axe as a cultural phenomenon, a creative and ritual tool for transforming “nature” and “alien” into “culture” and “own”, for maintaining the stability of the human world. The aim and objectives of this work are to identify the place and role of the axe in the religious and mythological picture of the world, to determine its ritual functions and symbolic meanings in the traditional culture and social organization of Yakuts. The main source of factual material for the study was the plots and images of the Yakut epic olonkho, historical stories and legends, ethnographic texts, as well as the data of archaeological research of Yakut burials of the XVII–XVIII centuries. The study utilized structural-descriptive, historical-typological and historical-genetic methods. As a result of the study the following conclusions were made: axes have a mediative function, by means of which a communicative connection between deities and people is established; in all ritual actions they participate in modeling a stable and stable living space. The discovery of axes in elite burials with rich accompanying inventory testifies to their high status and symbolic significance as a sign of clan power. The content of the cultural significance of the axe, its additional symbolic markers and ritual functions is not limited to this aspect only – it is much more complex and diverse, for example, in connection with the blacksmith's craft or shamanic kamlany, where the axe-hammer occupies a special place.

Acknowledgments: The author expresses gratitude to the Collective Use Center of the Federal Research Center of the Yakutsk Scientific Center SB RAS for the opportunity to use the scientific equipment purchased under grant no. 13.TsKP.21.0016.

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